The design of headwear, and baseball caps in particular, has evolved over time in response to advances in plastics and textiles, changes in fashion trends and the availability of sophisticated manufacturing facilities. Despite the wide variation in design, most caps share several common features. As shown in FIG. 1, most prior art caps include a crown 10 for receiving the wearer's head and a brim or bill 12 extending from the crown 10. The crown 10 is typically constructed from a number of connected gores 14 that form the substantially hemispherical shape of the cap 10. In some cases, the gores 14 are fabricated from an elastic material that is designed to stretch to fit the wearer's head.
Most prior art caps also include a sweatband 16 that is circumferentially disposed along the inside of the bottom of the crown 10. The sweatband 16 generally serves to hold the cap in position upon the wearer's head, but may serve additional functions, such as perspiration absorbency. When a cap is intended to provide a flexible fit, the sweatband 16 can also include an elastic material that enables stretching during use.
In some cases, it is desirable to use sweatbands that include multiple components that are connected to form a continuous band. For example, as shown in the prior art cap of FIG. 2, it may be desirable to incorporate an elastic band in a back portion 18 of the sweatband 16 and a padded, absorbent band in a front portion 20 of the sweatband 16. Typically, the front portion 20 and the back portion 18 overlap on opposite sides of the cap and are stitched together along a sweatband seam 22.
The prior art methods of attaching the front portion 20 to the back portion 18 suffer from several deficiencies. For example, overlapped portions of the sweatband 16 press against the wearer's head during use, thereby causing discomfort. Additionally, the exposed stitching is unsightly and detracts from the aesthetic qualities of the hat. Furthermore, the repetitive contact between the wearer's head and the exposed stitching along the sweatband seam 22 can degrade the stitching over time, increasing the chance of separation between the separate portions of the sweatband.
It is also known in the art to form at least some portion of the sweatband by inwardly folding the lower portions of the gores 14 within the crown 10, as shown in FIG. 2. This design generally benefits from lower material and labor costs. Although cheaper to manufacture, this sweatband design suffers several drawbacks.
For example, adjacent gores 14 are typically joined together at a gore seam 24, which is buttressed with a gore seam brace 26. When the gores 14 are inwardly folded, the underside of the gore seam 24 is revealed and placed in direct contact with the wearer's head. Additionally, the folded gore seam brace 26 creates lumps in the sweatband 16 that can cause discomfort to the wearer.
As hat designs have changed over the years, the importance of product branding has become increasingly important. Team logos and company names are among the designs that are frequently affixed to modem headwear. In the prior art, these designs have been limited to placement on the exterior of the crown or bill of the hat.
In light of these and other deficiencies, there exists a need to develop an economic, comfortable and attractive baseball cap that overcomes the deficiencies in the prior art.